Latvian President Levits explains his decision not to run for second term

Insight News reported this with reference to the Latvian President’s official website. 

Latvia's coalition has split

The Latvian President justified his difficult decision by the rift in the country’s Saeima. The parliament is in charge of selecting the President of the country. 

There has also been controversy about the impending presidential election. According to available information, two parties support Levits, while the other two support a different candidate.

Levits wishes to avoid a pro-Kremlin candidate winning the election

Given the coalition divide, Egils Levits did not expect a faultless outcome. The presidential election would be determined in this situation by parties “that do not represent Latvia's Western course.”

According to Levits, this would imply that Kremlin-friendly and oligarchic circles would begin to have a say in a matter as important as the upcoming presidential election.

He emphasized how such an event would have affected Latvia's President's position. It would also make it more difficult to represent the nation's interests.

“I have decided not to run in the May 31 presidential election in light of the de facto coalition being created with pro-Kremlin political groups connected to oligarchs. I urge another candidate backed by a coalition partner to follow,” Egils Levits said. 

As a result, the Latvian coalition will be able to choose a single candidate and vote for him. In this instance, the pro-West candidate will give the pro-Kremlin candidate no chance.

• Latvia has consistently supported Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. For example, Ukraine received Stingers from this country on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 23, 2022.